CNN Indonesia
Wednesday, 16 Aug 2023 17:45 WIB
Illustration. Tonight’s sky will be completely devoid of moonlight. (BETWEEN PHOTOS/FIKRI YUSUF)
Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —
The new Moon phase will provide night sky dark ones making it easier for sky watchers to see some astronomical object amazing this week.
In Indonesia alone, the new moon phase will take place from Wednesday (16/8) at 16.38 WIB, 17.38 WITA or 18.38 WIT.
Quoted from LAPAN’s Instagram account, BRIN, the new moon phase is a condition when the entire surface of the moon facing Earth does not reflect sunlight.
During the new Moon phase, the Moon’s face is completely dark and it rises and sets with the Sun. That means the Moon is not visible for most of the night, eliminating one major obstacle to seeing celestial objects.
Various celestial phenomena can be seen at this moment. Quoted from Spaceone of which is the star cluster Messier 2 (M2), grouped by the French astronomer Charles Messier, in the Milky Way galaxy.
This globular cluster (a dense group of stars) located in the constellation Aquarius can be visible in the night sky for weeks and reached its highest point above the southeastern horizon on Tuesday (15/8) at 9:05 p.m. EDT from New York City, USA, or Wednesday (16/8) at 08.05 WIB.
M2 itself is about 37 thousand light years from Earth and has a magnitude (brightness) of about 6.6, which means it is quite dim. Even without the moonlight obscuring it, sky watchers would need a telescope or binoculars to see it.
This cluster, which has about 150,000 stars, has a special place in the Messier Catalog because it was the first star cluster to be added to the list of astronomical objects.
Star groups like M2 are conglomerations of stars that are bound by gravity and become denser towards their center.
In addition to M2, sky watchers can also see Messier 11 (M11) or the Wild Duck Cluster, an open cluster 6,200 light years from Earth, and Messier 26, another open cluster about 5,000 light years away. Both are located in the constellation Scutum.
Skywatching or stargazing apps can help in finding some of these lesser known constellations and especially in locating celestial objects.
The dark skies around the new moon also allow astronomers to use backyard telescopes to find other objects in the Messier catalog.
This includes the Butterfly Cluster, or Messier 6 (M6), an open star cluster in the constellation Scorpius.
Open clusters are groups of stars that are believed to have formed at about the same time from a collapsing cloud of gas and dust.
Another good star cluster for astronomers to watch during dark skies around the new moon is Messier 39 (M39), an open star cluster that is 824 light years from Earth and can be seen in the constellation Cygnus.
(can/arh)
2023-08-16 10:45:00
#Moon #Dead #Tonight #Perfect #Enjoying #Milky
